By BD Naraayannkar
Thiruvananthapuram, (UNI) India took a 2-0 lead over Australia in the 5-match T20I series after defeating the visitors by 44 runs in the second match at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Sunday.
Sent into bat, India scored a massive 235/4 with the help of fifties by top-order batsmen and a blistering 9-ball unbeaten 31 by Rinku Singh.
Rinku’s runs proved valuable keeping in view the margin with which India won the match.
India bowlers also came in with a good performance, with Prasidh Krishna and Ravi Bishnoi taking three wickets each. Though Axar Patel picked up one wicket, he was the most economical bowler who gave 25 runs in 4 overs.
Compared to India’s top order batsmen, Australia conceded early which left them struggling at 58/4 in 8th over, with Mathew Short (19), Josh Inglis (2), Glenn Maxwell (12) and Steven Smith (19), losing their wickets cheaply.
This did not do any good for Australia to chase down the second highest first innings total scored against them.
Tim David (37 off 22, 4x4s 2x6s) and Marcus Stoinis (45 off 25, 2x4s 4x6s) stitched a crucial 81 runs for the fifth wicket. At one stage, they smacked 31 runs in five balls, but their wickets opened the floodgates.
Bishnoi scalped David and Mukesh Kumar had Stoinis, his only wicket of the match.
Krishna nailed Sean Abbot (1) with a yorker and so did Arshdeep Singh who rooted out Adam Zampa for one.
In the end, Captain Mathew Wade tried to wield his willow and got himself 42 runs, but that reduced the margin of defeat.
Earlier, Yashasvi Jaisawl, Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad fifties set India up for a big total.
India started off in great style on a pitch that appeared to be slowish, but Jaiswal dispelled that belief after he punished the loose balls, especially off Abbot in the fourth over when he hammered him for three boundaries and two sixes, plundering 24 runs.
An over before, Gaikwad and Jaiswal smacked Glenn Maxwell for 15 runs as India notched up 77 runs in the powerplay.
Once Jaiswal fell for 53 off 23 balls with 9 boundaries and 2 sixes, Kishan shouldered responsibility and attacked young turk Tanveer Sangha as India batsmen did in the last match at Visakhapatnam.
Kishan reached his fifty from 29 balls in great style by whacking Sangha for a six off a googly. He was holed out to sweeper cover by Nathan Ellis off Marcus Stoinis for 52 off 32 balls with 3 boundaries and 4 sixes.
Suryakumar Yadav (19 off 10 2x6s) entertained the spectators with his maverick shots, before Rinku Singh gave finishing touches with his cheeky shots.
Gaikwad, who scored 58 off 43 balls with 3 boundaries and 2 sixes, played an anchor’s role with finesse.
For Australia, it was a day to forget for Maxwell and Abbott who together conceded 90 plus runs in five overs.
Ellis was the pick of Australia’s bowling with 3/45, but most of the bowlers were given a beating today.
Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first.
As expected Suryakumar went into the game with the same team, while Australia Captain Wade made a couple of changes after losing a very close game at Visakhapatnam.
Adam Zampa and Maxwell came in for Jason Behrendorff and Aaron Hardie.
Brief scores: India 235/4 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 58, Yashasvi Jaiswal 53, Ishan Kishan 52) beat Australia 191/9 in 20 overs (Marcus Stoinis 45; Ravi Bishnoi 3/32) by 44 runs.
